Apple has enough money to buy pretty much any company it wants right now, so it’s both easy and fun to speculate on potential acquisitions like Hulu. (Personally, I prefer this suggestion that the company should build its own mobile data network). But yesterday the website Boy Genius Report published a tip “from an unproven source” that said Apple and Barnes & Noble were in negotiations. BGR writes that it “makes a whole lot of sense,” because Apple could merge B&N’s ebook business into iBooks and kill off the popular Nook Color. But don’t take it too seriously; one analyst told investors that it’s a bad idea and not very likely, and the International Business Times pointed out that B&N’s biggest asset is real estate, something Apple doesn’t really need. IBT notes that it’s quite possible that if Apple and B&N were in negotiations, it may have been about the bookseller’s Nook apps on iOS.
Still, it’s always fun to waste one’s time wondering what Apple will do next. Shh, I heard they’re developing a breed of unicorn dogs!
(Photo: cjc4454)
Other than to kill off a competitor, I can see no reason why buying B&N would make sense for Apple. I would personally be very disappointed because, well, I want a vigorous ebook marketplace. Even with agency pricing, having B&N, Kobo and Amazon helps keeps things lively (At the moment, I can’t conceive of a scenario where I would be willing to support Apple’s ebooks efforts).
I have several Nooks, and I’d stop buying anything from B&N if it were bought by Apple.
Amusing idea but realistic? What benefit would this give to Apple?